Wireless entertainment systems employ microphones and processing equipment that provides wireless connectivity to the Internet. The systems operate as front-ends for web services such as streaming audio, music, books, video and other content. The most advanced of these devices receive voice commands whereby the user asks for certain content that will be played over the entertainment system. The audio signal is digitized by the system and translated over a network as a request for a certain service. In addition, numerous other voice activated and voice controlled electronic devices exist in the market that employ microphones and processing equipment for their functionality; for example, smart home technology, audio/video teleconferencing equipment, and the like.
In order to function optimally, an entertainment system such as the one described above must receive clear audio instruction from a user. This may prove difficult in situations where a system is placed in a location where extraneous sounds interfere with the user commands. Additionally, the system may be placed in a relatively noise free space but in a position where the sound waves from the user cannot be received by the microphones of the entertainment system. In order to overcome this many systems include an array of microphones arranged, for example, in a circular pattern. These systems, however, often include the array of microphones in a direction that is orthogonal to the incoming sound waves.
Various electronic noise cancelling and modulation devices have been proposed to enhance the quality of the sound waves received from the user. These systems, however, require a separate power source and are rather expensive given the complex hardware and software systems that are employed to achieve the desired result. An inexpensive and less complex system is desirable. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems with microphone performance in voice controlled consumer electronic devices. Applicant has developed a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.